Reinstating Trust

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Numb3rs and I'm not making any money from this fic

Summary: Set after episode four, season three of Numb3rs. Don has a 'conversation' with Colby about his actions during the episode

Warning(s): Spanking; mentions of violence; spoilers up to and including episode four of season three and also for the end of season three/beginning of season four; probably some slight OOCness

Characters: Don/Colby (romantic relationship, non-explicit)

Colby stared at the computer screen in front of him, though he didn't really take in what he was reading. Don had returned his gun and badge to him, but had also warned Colby that he wanted to speak to him once everyone else had gone. Colby was pretty sure he had a good idea of how the conversation was going to go. Don would probably be angry – but worse than that, he would be disappointed.

That had been pretty clear from the short, terse comments Don had made to him right after he'd tricked Dwayne into making a confession about the people he'd killed.

Don had warned Colby that he'd go to prison if he did it again. No matter their personal relationship, Colby knew Don didn't make promises he wouldn't keep. Don put a lot of stock in trust and Colby had damaged the trust Don had in him, perhaps irreparably.

How much worse would it be if Don ever found out he was really working for the Chinese, even if it was as a triple agent? Colby's heart turned over in his chest as he realised that might be a crime Don could never forgive. There were a lot of things he regretted about the necessity of doing his duty. Lying to Don and keeping his actions a secret was probably the worst of those.

"Hey, you heading out now?"

Colby looked up at his partner and gave a smile he sure didn't feel. David was probably his best friend, as well as being his partner. But he wasn't sure David could understand the other part of the relationship Colby had with Don, even though most of the team members knew that Colby and Don were in fact together.

"Nah, I've gotta stay and talk to Don," Colby replied. "I'll head home later."

David nodded. "Okay. Give me a call, let me know Don didn't kill you," he said, trying to joke.

"Will do." Colby watched as David left and then turned his attention back to the computer screen. He was aware of the others all leaving one by one and stared hard at the computer screen, trying to pretend he was completely immersed in his work.

Anything to put off this conversation.

This had always struck Colby as strange. He'd been trained in interrogation techniques and had been in the army, not to mention he was hardly a small man and could handle a large variety of weapons. And yet, when Don wasn't happy with him, Colby often felt like a teenager standing outside the principal's office, waiting for a paddling for some sort of bad behaviour or other.

Unfortunately, where Don was concerned, their relationship wasn't much different.

Colby became aware of Don standing behind him and turned his head slowly to look at the other man. He didn't bother trying to argue. This was something he wouldn't attempt to talk Don out of doing if he knew it was deserved and he stood up slowly, taking a deep breath. "Now?"

"I don't think there's anything you could say that would make this any better, do you?"

Colby could see that Don was angry still, although he held himself tightly controlled. "Nothing, except apologise."

Don gave a firm shake of his head. "Apologies aren't going to make things right."

"I know." Colby's gaze moved to the long pointer Don held in his hand, one that Don had asked his brother if he could keep, since Charlie often used them in class. Don had never told Charlie why and Colby was pretty sure Charlie had no idea what the pointer had often been used for. His hands went to the fastenings of his trousers. "Now?"

"Now's as good a time as any."

It had never been in Colby to beg – whether for leniency or for forgiveness, even if he desired either. He just held onto the fact that, once this was over, his relationship with Don would be repaired – and that he could work on gaining the trust back. With that thought in mind, he removed his jacket and then undid his trousers, pushing them down and then leaning over the nearest desk. This was normally a very embarrassing position to be in, but at least everyone else was gone.

That was perhaps the only comfort he could gain from this.

Colby felt the hard metal rest against his backside and he clenched his fists hard, knowing how painful this would be. And in the past, Don had never been as angry as he was now. The strokes were normally controlled to hurt but not come down with bruising force, but Colby wasn't sure if Don would be able to hold back this time.

There was a rush of cool air as Don raised the pointer and then brought it down hard, as if Colby's backside had an enormous target symbol painted on it. For a brief moment, Colby felt nothing – and then pain exploded in a white-hot line of fire across the very top of his backside. He sucked in a sharp breath, but didn't react otherwise.

The next stroke landed just below the first and Colby grunted, grabbing onto the far edge of the desk. When the third stroke landed, Colby only just held in a scream – although he was sure his backside had three glowing red lines on it. The fourth and fifth strokes seemed far harder – and the sixth and seventh landed on his sit spot and thighs respectively, the skin more sensitive there and ensuring that Colby would be feeling it every time he sat down for a while.

The eighth landed diagonally across the previous stripes, making Colby jump. It was an effective move Don didn't use very often – only when he was really angry or disappointed. He actually half-lifted himself off the desk, hissing out a breath at the painful heat in his backside.

Don didn't speak, simply waited for Colby to return to position – which he did finally, after forcing himself to keep his hands away from his aching backside. He was expecting the diagonal stroke from the other side and managed to keep himself down, even though he had to choke back a cry.

This was much worse than the previous times and Colby found himself wondering if he could ever put things right.

The tenth and final stroke landed across the middle of Colby's backside and he jerked, his knuckles clenching to white on the desk. As Don silently placed the pointer on the desk next to him, Colby breathed in and out, feeling the lines on his backside throbbing in time with his heartbeat.

Don's hands were gentle now as he helped Colby up, clapping a hand on his shoulder. The next moment, he pulled him into an embrace.

Colby stood awkwardly, never quite sure how to react to the physical contact after punishment. He could deal with punishment better if it was delivered without any caring afterwards, but the caring had – he suspected – been an integral part of Don's own punishments when he'd been growing up.

Don pulled back a little. "You ever do something like that again and you'll get it far worse, you understand?"

"Is that before or after you send me to jail?" Colby attempted a smile.

"I was serious about that," Don warned. "We might be together, but that doesn't mean you get a free ride here."

"I know." If anything, Colby knew their relationship meant Don would come down that much harder on him. He didn't want to think about the secrets he was still keeping, or what would happen if they eventually came out. He would never admit it out loud, but he just wanted to be with Don, away from their own duties and without having to deal with thoughts of how Don would hurl him away once everything was revealed. This could never last, no matter how much he wanted it to.

Maybe he could get Don's trust back this time, but Colby knew there wouldn't be a second chance.

Perhaps Don guessed something of what was going through Colby's mind, because his arms tightened around Colby and he pulled him closer, giving him a light, gentle kiss on the lips, a kiss that grew in passion and intensity as Colby took in the hidden message in Don's actions.

It was over, finally. They'd dealt with these crimes and Colby knew that, for now, it was over.

Even if a part of him dreaded the eventual fallout.